The Syrian Crisis and Iran's Constructive Policies: An Evaluation of the "Shia Crescent"

Müslüm Reyhanoğulları; Nurettin Özgen

Makale detayları

The Syrian Crisis and Iran's Constructive Policies: An Evaluation of the "Shia Crescent"

Yazarlar:

Müslüm Reyhanoğulları | Nurettin Özgen

Yayıncı:

Ege University

Ana Başlıklar:

Beşeri Coğrafya

Dergi:

Ege Coğrafya Dergisi Vol.32 Issue 1, pp.115-134

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

6/2023

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001295212

pISSN:

2636-8056

Anahtar kelimeler:

Özet:

 Southwest Asia, called the Middle East by Western countries, is the region where the most intense global political activity is experienced. In the region that turns into a struggle for hegemonic space, the ideological setups designed between global, regional and local power structures become operative. Although these ideological designs are different from each other, they are carried out through ethnic, religious  sectarian and ideological discourses that largely serve for economic gain. The Iran-Syria alliance can be given as an example in terms of the beliefsectarian establishment of this ideological and political economy. In the Middle East, where regional tensions almost never subside, Iran-Syria relations as a strategic value open up space for multidimensional gains through a beliefsectarian establishment. Therefore, the cooperation that Iran, which played an active role in the Syrian crisis, established and developed with communities belonging to the Arab Alawite-Shia faithsect in Syria, has provided a gain for both sides. This regional expansion of Iran is called the Shia Crescent by the Sunni Arab administrations. Sharing and making active the Shia population in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and other countries of the region, especially Iran, through this beliefsect ideology is perceived as a serious threat by the Sunni administrations, which are the stakeholders of the established political system of the region. In this context, Syria is seen as the representative of the ties to be established with Shia communities from Iran to the Levant region, which is described as the northern wing of the Shia Crescent, and a setup that will dominate Irans influence in the Middle East. In this framework, the historical and ideological relations that produced the Iran-Syria alliance, especially at the regional level, have been handled with a constructivist approach, and various predictions have been made about the political geography of the region. This study aimed to focus on Irans political position in Syria and the historical ties between both countries on the basis of the Shia Crescent. Therefore, on the basis of the qualitative research method, the literatüre on the research subject was examined and all developments in the region were supported by relevant scientific studies.

 Southwest Asia, called the Middle East by Western countries, is the region where the most intense global political activity is experienced. In the region that turns into a struggle for hegemonic space, the ideological setups designed between global, regional and local power structures become operative. Although these ideological designs are different from each other, they are carried out through ethnic, religious  sectarian and ideological discourses that largely serve for economic gain. The Iran-Syria alliance can be given as an example in terms of the beliefsectarian establishment of this ideological and political economy. In the Middle East, where regional tensions almost never subside, Iran-Syria relations as a strategic value open up space for multidimensional gains through a beliefsectarian establishment. Therefore, the cooperation that Iran, which played an active role in the Syrian crisis, established and developed with communities belonging to the Arab Alawite-Shia faithsect in Syria, has provided a gain for both sides. This regional expansion of Iran is called the Shia Crescent by the Sunni Arab administrations. Sharing and making active the Shia population in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and other countries of the region, especially Iran, through this beliefsect ideology is perceived as a serious threat by the Sunni administrations, which are the stakeholders of the established political system of the region. In this context, Syria is seen as the representative of the ties to be established with Shia communities from Iran to the Levant region, which is described as the northern wing of the Shia Crescent, and a setup that will dominate Irans influence in the Middle East. In this framework, the historical and ideological relations that produced the Iran-Syria alliance, especially at the regional level, have been handled with a constructivist approach, and various predictions have been made about the political geography of the region. This study aimed to focus on Irans political position in Syria and the historical ties between both countries on the basis of the Shia Crescent. Therefore, on the basis of the qualitative research method, the literatüre on the research subject was examined and all developments in the region were supported by relevant scientific studies.

 Southwest Asia, called the Middle East by Western countries, is the region where the most intense global political activity is experienced. In the region that turns into a struggle for hegemonic space, the ideological setups designed between global, regional and local power structures become operative. Although these ideological designs are different from each other, they are carried out through ethnic, religious  sectarian and ideological discourses that largely serve for economic gain. The Iran-Syria alliance can be given as an example in terms of the beliefsectarian establishment of this ideological and political economy. In the Middle East, where regional tensions almost never subside, Iran-Syria relations as a strategic value open up space for multidimensional gains through a beliefsectarian establishment. Therefore, the cooperation that Iran, which played an active role in the Syrian crisis, established and developed with communities belonging to the Arab Alawite-Shia faithsect in Syria, has provided a gain for both sides. This regional expansion of Iran is called the Shia Crescent by the Sunni Arab administrations. Sharing and making active the Shia population in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and other countries of the region, especially Iran, through this beliefsect ideology is perceived as a serious threat by the Sunni administrations, which are the stakeholders of the established political system of the region. In this context, Syria is seen as the representative of the ties to be established with Shia communities from Iran to the Levant region, which is described as the northern wing of the Shia Crescent, and a setup that will dominate Irans influence in the Middle East. In this framework, the historical and ideological relations that produced the Iran-Syria alliance, especially at the regional level, have been handled with a constructivist approach, and various predictions have been made about the political geography of the region. This study aimed to focus on Irans political position in Syria and the historical ties between both countries on the basis of the Shia Crescent. Therefore, on the basis of the qualitative research method, the literatüre on the research subject was examined and all developments in the region were supported by relevant scientific studies.

 Batılı ülkeler tarafından Ortadoğu olarak adlandırılan Güneybatı Asya, küresel siyasete dair hareketliliğin en yoğun yaşandığı bölgedir. Bir hegemonik alan mücadelesine dönüştürülen bölgede küresel, bölgesel ve yerel güç yapılanmaları arasında tasarlanan ideolojik kurulumlar işlerlik kazanmaktadır. Bu ideolojik tasarımlar birbirinden farklı olmakla birlikte büyük oranda ekonomik kazanıma hizmet eden etnik, inançsal mezhepsel ve ideolojik söylemler üzerinden yürütülmektedir. Bu ideolojik ve ekonomi politiğin inançmezhepsel kurulumu açısından İran - Suriye ittifakı örnek verilebilir. Bölgesel gerilimin neredeyse hiç dinmediği Ortadoğuda, İran- Suriye ilişkileri stratejik bir değer olarak inanç mezhepsel bir kurulum üzerinden çok boyutlu bir kazanıma alan açmaktadır. Dolayısıyla Suriye krizinde etkin rol üstlenen İranın, Suriyedeki Arap Alevi- Şii inancımezhebine mensup topluluklarla kurduğu ve geliştirdiği birliktelik, her iki taraf için de bir kazanım sağlamıştır. İranın bölgesel ölçekli bu yayılımı, Sünni Arap yönetimleri tarafından Şii Hilali olarak dillendirilmektedir. Başta İran olmak üzere Irak, Suriye, Lübnan ve bölgenin diğer ülkelerindeki Şii nüfusu, bu inançmezhep ideolojisi üzerinden ortaklaştırmak ve etkin kılmak, bölgenin kurulu siyasal sisteminin paydaşı olan Sünni yönetimler tarafından ciddi bir tehdit olarak algılanmaktadır. Bu bağlamda Suriye, Şii Hilalinin kuzey kanadı olarak tarif edilen ve İrandan Levant bölgesine kadar Şii topluluklarıyla kurulacak bağın ve İranın Ortadoğudaki nüfuzunu domine edecek bir kurulumun temsilcisi olarak görülmektedir. Bu eksende, İran- Suriye ittifakını üreten tarihsel ve ideolojik bağıntıların özellikle bölgesel düzeyde ne tür yansımalara alan açtığı İnşacı konstrüktivist bir yaklaşımla ele alınmış ve bu kapsamda, bölgenin siyasal coğrafyasına dair çeşitli öngörülerde bulunulmuştur. Bu çalışma, Şii Hilali temelinde İranın Suriyedeki politik pozisyonuna ve her iki ülke arasındaki tarihsel bağlara odaklanmayı amaçlamıştır. Dolayısıyla nitel araştırma yöntemi temelinde araştırma konusuna ilişkin literatür incelenmiş, bölgedeki tüm gelişmeler ilgili bilimsel çalışmalarla desteklenmiştir.

Makale detayları

The Syrian Crisis and Iran's Constructive Policies: An Evaluation of the "Shia Crescent"

Yazarlar:

Müslüm Reyhanoğulları | Nurettin Özgen

Yayıncı:

Ege University

Ana Başlıklar:

Beşeri Coğrafya

Dergi:

Ege Coğrafya Dergisi Vol.32 Issue 1, pp.115-134

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

6/2023

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001295212

pISSN:

2636-8056

Syria Crisis

Shia Crescent

Constructivism

Hegemony

IranSuriye Krizi

Şii Hilali

İnşacılık

Hegemonya

İran

Sayı

Makale detayları

Yazarlar: Müslüm Reyhanoğulları | Nurettin Özgen

Yayıncı: Ege University

Ana Başlıklar: Beşeri Coğrafya

Dergi: Ege Coğrafya Dergisi Vol.32 Issue 1, pp.115-134

Belge Tipi: Makale

Yayın Tarihi: 6/2023

Belge Dili: Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.): 2001295212

pISSN: 2636-8056

Sayı

Yazarlar:

Müslüm Reyhanoğulları | Nurettin Özgen

Yayıncı:

Ege University

Ana Başlıklar:

Beşeri Coğrafya

Dergi:

Ege Coğrafya Dergisi Vol.32 Issue 1, pp.115-134

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

6/2023

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001295212

pISSN:

2636-8056